Human Impacts

A Spotted Owl perched in a tree

Humans have a great impact on coniferous forests. Logging may worsen global warming and destroy the habitat of some animals. Coniferous trees provide habitat for many animals, from squirrels, to woodpeckers. When trees are cut down, animals are sometimes killed in the process, and others are forced to leave their homes. Some of these animals do not have a new home to go to, and their existence may be threatened. Spotted Owls are a great example of this. The Northern Spotted Owl lives in the holes of old growth trees. When too many of these trees are cut down, the bird has nowhere to go, and their nests ( and any eggs in the nest) are lost. Because of logging, the habitat of the Northern Spotted Owl is threatened and the bird has become an endangered species. Cutting down trees also impacts climate change. Trees produce oxygen and reduce carbon dioxide. When trees are cut down, their ability to reduce carbon is eliminated. Since carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, this contributes to global climate change. By managing logging, and being aware of the consequences of human actions, these problems can, hopefully, be solved.